I’ve been working at a job for the past few years and have gotten to the point of wanting to run away and join the circus. Or, someone else’s circus other than the one I’m working for at least. So I started interviewing again. The criteria of what I am willing to do has most definitely shrunk. After the use-and-abuse for the last decade of litigation: I want out. At least from litigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wish I could say I started putting out feelers, but that’s not really true. Because I know too much about this industry, I’ve never stopped looking. Even when gainfully employed in something I enjoy, I am still cognizant of openings in the area. Since 1st year law school, I’ve had job listings for Indeed emailed to me daily; similarly for a select handful of other sites. Everyday at some random early hour in the AM, job postings show up in my inbox. I’ve also had the “open to work” banner on linkedin on my profile since they started it in 2020 (probably worthy of another post based on the weird that has shown up over the years). But that is how I ended up in this interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A headhunter contacted me. This was a little unusual as I usually ignore most headhunter contacts on linkedin unless they say the firm \/ company name they are looking for. Even then, I respond to some of them but it always starts with me asking who is the client, as I know too many people in the area and won’t work with some of them… and vice versa. But this one called me on the phone, somehow they had a copy of my resume, though several years out of date that they admitted to stalking me on linkedin from said resume. (weird… but ok.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The job was at a firm I would have happily worked at 8 years ago. In fact, as I told the headhunter, I had applied there several times over the years and knew several attorneys there. Lately though, I had zero interest as they were panel counsel for insurance, and nothing but, and I really no longer want to work in that field. That apparently didn’t stop the headhunter. Me saying I wasn’t really open to that job meant they setup an interview with the hiring partner and sent me an appointment confirmation. I sent back a note saying they never contacted me to confirm this and I wasn’t available… which meant they merely rescheduled it for later in the week. Pretty aggressively ballsy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The story was already writing itself, so I figured why not do the interview. Which led to one of the weirder openings for an interview where after the short introductions I told the partner I hadn’t actually requested this interview, it was just scheduled unilaterally by the headhunter, so I generally figured I’d see what the position was. (maybe they get more acceptances by forcing the issue?) I honestly hoped there were ramifications to the search firm for their weirdness. But anyway, back to the interview… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The partner was both surprised and not by the headhunters actions. what I might gauge as confused resignation. In effect, we’re both here so may as well ignore how we got here. The job was something I would have honestly killed for many years ago. The partner was leaving and wanted someone to step into her shoes and take over her whole docket. She went through the billables that were there and how there was one associate helping out, they had recently fired the senior associate due to some unmentionable issue. (literally they couldn’t talk about it but merely said “it was bad”). It wasn’t entering as a partner, but in effect it was partnership on a plate. Do the work and you could have it in a year or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I asked where she was going, and that’s when the commiseration started. The exact reason I didn’t want to do insurance panel work anymore is why she was leaving. She was burnt out and hated the work, she’d been doing it for years and was just done. She was leaving to start being a mediator, which amusingly was exactly following the footsteps of another partner I had known from the same firm about six years ago. When I asked if she knew the other partner she laughed and said “of course, she’s the one setting me up with the mediation practice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was an odd interview turned conversation because neither of us wanted the job she was currently occupying. I even told her this was a dream opportunity for some people, but just not what I wanted. Interestingly, it seemed like anyone of similar experience didn’t want it either. She told me it was surprisingly difficult to get anyone to take it over. It was well paying, guaranteed work and pretty consistent… and no one with any experience wanted to take it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interview was basically done. We kept talking for some time longer even though she knew I had said no. Finding actual human conversation in the legal world is weirdly unique and we generally ended up bitching about the industry and swapping information. I’m sure someone took it over eventually. The partner had a hard out and if the position wasn’t covered it was going to be the firm’s problem soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope she does well as a mediator.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"